28 Days of Lighter Pasta Recipes to Make in February

1Feb

Happy February! We’re excited to bring you the second installment to our new 31 Days Series (you can check out the first one here), though since February is a shorter month, we’ve got 28 fab recipes instead of 31.

Cupid has us feeling a bit mushy, so this month is devoted entirely to one of our greatest loves — pasta. Our carb-loving hearts melt into complete submission over the sight of plump pillows of gnocchi and silky ribbons of tagliatelle — we just can’t help ourselves. Sure we’ve broken up a few times (our diets were concerned we were cheating), but like Carrie and Mr. Big, we always come crawling back to one another.

It’s a lifelong love affair, folks. Pasta, we just can’t quit you.

Pasta doesn’t have to equate to cheating. Pasta doesn’t have to be our thighs’ biggest threat, or our ideal weight number’s nemesis. Having a healthy bowl of noodles is not attempting the impossible, rather it’s about striking a balance and making smart swaps, like using whole wheat noodles and skim or almond milk and keep the cheese to sprinkles. Pile on those veggies, get creative with your sauce, and maybe don’t eat it several times a week. Moderation, baby, remember?

from Broma Bakery

from Cafe Delites

No heavy cream, no butter, no flour, no problem! This perfectly dreamy pasta is just as satisfying as the original Alfredo, but with a quarter of the calories. The fact that it’s also a one-pot meal is just the icing on the cake.

from Gimme Some Oven

from Pinch of Yum

Pan-roasted morsels of mushrooms, whole wheat penne, and a creamy cauliflower alfredo sauce, all baked under a golden sheath of Gruyere cheese — excuse us while we wipe the drool from our mouths. Oh yeah, cauliflower does it again!

from Diethood

You don’t have to avoid mac and cheese like it’s the plague, just to stay healthy. This version has a lightened-up cheese sauce and is studded with lean chicken and healthy broccoli, and it’s’ ready in just 30 minutes.

from Chelsea’s Messy Apron

This familiar takeout favorite gets a healthy makeover. Stir-fry noodles and spiralized zucchini co-mingle with tons of fresh veggies, in a light and zesty sauce. Bonus? It’s surprisingly filling for being a vegetarian dish, and it’s ready in just 20 minutes!

from Healthy Seasonal Recipes

You wouldn’t think you the words “healthy” and “lasagna” could exist in the same sentence, but this recipe proves otherwise. With gluten-free (or whole wheat) noodles, a mixture of grass-fed beef, mushrooms, and spinach, and lower-fat cheese, this recipe sounds healthy (because it is), but still tastes like the rich, indulgent lasagna we all know and love.

from Healthy Nibbles and Bits

from Cookie and Kate

Zesty sun-dried tomatoes and almonds are a welcome reprieve from traditional pesto, and help make this whole grain pasta dish extra hearty. Throw in some balsamic-roasted veggies and you’ve reached vegetarian nirvana.

from FoodieCrush

This bowl has a lot of good stuff going on. Buckwheat noodles are loaded with protein and fiber, the Sriracha meatballs are made easy in the slow cooker (and pack quite the flavor punch), and fresh herbs and cool, crispy veggies round it all out. End the month with a bang, eh?

This recipe round-up was curated and written by FoodieCrush contributor Hayley Putnam. Follow her foodie tastes and other flights of fancy on Pinterest and Instagram.

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I was just looking for a recipe to cook for dinner today and the “Roasted Vegetable Macaroni and Cheese” got me intrigued.
All of the recipes look delicious. Would definitely try some of the others as well. 🙂

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